The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Devotees returning to Velankanni

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 20, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Devotees returning to Velankanni

By Our Staff Reporter

THANJAVUR, JAN. 19. Devotees have started coming back to the tsunami-battered Velankanni, Rev. Fr. Devadoss Ambrose, Bishop of Thanjavur, told presspersons here on Tuesday.

"Masses are being held in the Basilica of Our Lady of Health and devotees have started attending them. Those who escaped the tsunamiare coming back to Velankanni for thanksgiving," he said.

The church will hold an all-religion prayer for the victims at 5 p.m. on January 29. "As the visitors to the church belong to all religions, this communal harmony homage is being arranged."

Special mass

A special mass will be held on January 30 in which the Indian representative of the Pope, Rev. Fr. Padro Lopes Quintana, will participate, he said. "We have been providing facilities such as board and lodging to the devotees and have been giving free food to the tsunami victims at Velankanni."

The Church approached the Government for the construction of a retaining wall along the coast and the river adjoining the church, and for establishing parks for children. "We were told by the Government that a study of the town would be conducted to make Velankanni a protected and safer township."

Relief work

The church and voluntary organisations, including the Thanjavur Multi-Purpose Social Service Society (TMSSS), took up relief measures soon after the tsunami in Velankanni. Six hundred volunteers were mobilised and 2000 bodies were buried, cremated or handed over to the relatives. "We have put up photographs of the deceased for identification by the relatives. Many people are still looking at the photographs to find out the fate of their relatives," he said.

"We have decided to mobilise Rs.60 crores to take up relief measures." The TMSSS had built 1755 temporary shelters at a cost of Rs.1.40 crores at Samanthanpettai, Aryanattutheru, Keechankuppam, Vellapallam, Arcotuthurai, Agasthiyanpalli, Pushpavanam, Vizhundamavadi, Velankanni and Nambiyar Nagar. The affected people were sheltered there, he said.

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